Nadal takes second Wimbledon title

Rafael Nadal celebrates victory at Wimbledon
12 April 2012

Rafael Nadal has somersaulted his way to a second Wimbledon title.

The Spanish sensation beat Tomas Berdych in straight sets to round off a fortnight of tennis in uninterrupted sunshine at the All England Club.

Rolling Stones rocker Ronnie Wood and racing driver Jenson Button led cheers as Nadal, the world number one, breezed past his Czech opponent 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 in little more than two hours.

After securing his second Wimbledon title, an ecstatic Nadal performed a forward roll in celebration.

For the first time in 15 years, the world's favourite tennis court went without a single day disrupted by rain.

Nadal collapsed to the grass in celebration as he was given a standing ovation. After receiving the trophy for the second time, he said: "To win here was always my dream."

Some spectators sported "vamos Rafa" signs while one fan shouted "I love you Rafa" to smiles from the tennis player's girlfriend, Xisca Perello.

The match got under way after Hannah Clinton, 14, from Ilford, Essex, performed the coin toss, having been nominated for her work caring for her seriously ill mother.

Nadal picked up from where he left off in the 2008 Wimbledon final by thumping Berdych in the opening set.

Berdych was unable to recapture the form he had displayed with giant-killing wins over Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the previous two rounds. The Spaniard took two hours and 13 minutes to win his eighth grand slam title.

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